Dental forceps



June 10, 1930. a. P. ROBERTS 1,762,883

' DENTAL FORGEPS Filed May 17, 1928 E F. Hubert-5.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS.

'Patentecl 1...... 10, 1930 UNITED STATES.

PATENT OFFICE; I

. GEORGE r.v ROBERTS, or rAnPoN srnmes, FLQRID'A,

DENTAL reams Application filed May 17,'

if the jaws of the forceps should slip from the tooth of the patient, the dentists thumb will not be caught between the handles.

,Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparentduring the course of the following detailed description.

In the drawing, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown only a preferred embodiment of this invention, I

Figure 1 is a top plan view of the forceps,

' showing indotted lines the relation ofthe elated in aninte'gral, or otherwise afiixed reoperators hand thereto.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the forceps, showing the guard applied thereto.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the forceps atthe location of the guard. c

Figure 4 is a developed view of the guard prior to appliance to the forceps. In the drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the latter A may generally designate the improved fors ceps, with which the guard B may be asso lation. g v V Dental forceps, as well known to those skilled in the dental art, comprisesa pair of members 10 and 11, pivoted together'at some location 12 intermediate their ends, and so that the members 10 and 11 respectively provide jaws 13 and 14, and handle portions 15 and 16. It is well known that considerable force is applied'to the forceps during a tooth extracting operation, and inthe caseof pliers, force is exerted duringian operation. If the jaws 13 and 14 should slip from the object being grasped, it .is very likely that the thumb of the operator will be caught between the handle portions 15 and 16 adjacent the pivot. To obviate this I provide the guard member B, which may be applied to -Figures land 3- of the drawing.

isms;- Serial m: 278,536.

one of the handles adjacent the pivot, 'in

such relation that it will form a shelf or support overlying and overlapping the other handle when the jaws of the forceps arein clamping position.

' As a'preferredmeans of securing the guard member B in place, Iusea fiat piece of material, such 'as shown in Figure 4, referably metal of any approved nature, although it I, I maybe of other material'if found'practical;

It consists of an elongatedattaching portion 20, having an enlarged'wider shelf portion 21 at an end thereof, forming a surface suitable for supporting the thumb of the opera-- tor. As to its applicationupon the handle 15, Ipreferto recess the handle at 23 inwardly from the top thereof at the side opposite the side from which the jawslaterally extend, as shown inFigure 3 of the drawing.

The recess 23 is continued infthe-material at thesides ofthe recess, to provide fla'nges 27 with recesses extending therebeneath, and

into which recess, and beneath a saidflanges the guard B may be forced. 1

Inasmuch as the guard member B in its def veloped form shown in Figure 4 is widerja't' its shelf end,'it is readily apparent that the attaching'end may be slipped laterally into place in the recess 23 beneath the flanges 27, and held tightly in-this position, and the attaching end 20 maybe rolled, as shown at 25 in Figure 3 of the drawing,about the exterior V sideof the handle/1'5 transversely thereacross,

andfbent as shown'at 26 against the inside thereof. The-intermediate portion of the guard B is dished-downwardly at 27 between the handles 15 and 16,-and the shelf or support' 21 extends upwardly and in a relation to overlap the handle 16 when the plier han tiles are in operatingrelation, asshown in It is qu'tej apparent from the foregoing the hands, with the thumb resting on-the sup- P rt 21 of the-guard B. The handles are brought together and when the jaws grasp the object to be clamped, the handle 16 is already beneath the support portion 21, so

that there is no liabilityyof pinching the op- 612 erators thumb if the jaws should slip from the object being grasped and should come together sharply.

Various changes in the shape, size, and ar rangement of parts may be made to the form of invention herein shown and described, without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the claims.

I claim: 1. In dental forceps a pair of pivoted members, each member including a jaw portion and a handle portion, and a thumb engaging guard member rigidly connected with one of the handle portions and constituting a laterally extendingv thumb support free of'the other handle butin'position to substantially 7 overlie the adjacent portion of the said other handle portion in position where the operator naturally grasps the same when the mem- 1 0 bers are in an operating position. 2.7 In forceps the combination of a pair of .pivoted members each including a aw por -tion and a handle portion, the aws extending laterally from the plane in which the mem 2' bers lie, and a rigid thumb support and guard member connected with one of the handle portions and extending laterally to overlap the other handle portion adjacent the pivot of said members and at the opposite side at 0 the plane of said members from the side to which the jaws extend. V I 3.111 dental forceps the combination of a pair of pivoted members each including a jaw portion and a handle portion, and a thumb support secured rigidly to one member at a location where an operator places his l thumb for a normal grasp of the device and extending laterally in an overlying relation with the other member but free of connec- 5 .tion therewith to permit relative pivoted movement of said members in an unimpeded .relation and the application of pressure thru the thumb of the operator on said support.

4. In a device of the class described the 5 combination of a pair of pivoted members each including a jaw portion and a handle portion, and a thumb guard wound about and rigidly secured to one ofthe pivoted members and extending laterally at an end thereof-in an overlyingthumb protecting relation with respect to the. other member. V a

5. In a device of the classdescribed a pair of pivoted members each including a j aw portion and a handle portion, one of the handle portions being recessed, and a guard member rigidly seated in said recess and extendingabout said handle portion and at an end U thereof laterally extending into an overlying relation with respect to the handle portion '60. of the other pivoted member.

GEORGE P. ROBERTS. 

